Budget Actions Taken in 2004-2005
to offset projected deficit for 2005-2006
In Fall 2004, the Library projected a budget deficit for 2005-2006 of $580,000.
This was based on estimated inflation rates of
- 3% for monographs
- 3% for continuations (e.g., monographic series)
- 8% for serials.
Projected deficit for 2005-2006 addressed in 2004 - 2005
Permanent Allocations (including binding) $ 12,083,000 Recurring Expenses (including binding) $ 12,663,000 Projected Surplus/Deficit before action $ (580,000)
The AUL for Collections decided to defer another round of serials cancellations for one year, and covered the $580,000 deficit with one-time funds. This strategy is used sparingly — it merely increases the subsequent year's cancellation, since it then includes deficits arising from not just one but two years of inflationary increases.
Although recurring money was not available to cover monographic inflation, The Library used one-time funds to help offset an extraordinary deficit arising from poor exchange rates with foreign currencies. In March 2005, $100,000 was appropriated among selectors whose purchasing power was diminshed due to a fall in the value of the dollar.
As we did with print journals from Elsevier, we have taken steps to cancel most local print copies of Blackwell and Springer journal titles that are available electronically. We are able to take advantage of this cost savings strategy because of the wonderful collaborative efforts in the UC Libraries led by the California Digital Library (CDL). As CDL negotiates the best prices from vendors of electronic journals, a key element in the contract is the provision that UC will receive a print copy of each electronic journal in the subscribed package to be stored in a shared UC print archive. This strategy allows each campus to cut local redundant content in print format and rely upon the print copy in the shared archive. Berkeley will rely on the shared print archive for those occasions when print is needed. In a very few cases, exceptions to this print cancellation have been made based on selector and faculty input.
User surveys and research projects show that most users prefer to access journals online when they are available. At the same time, many have also expressed a desire to know that at least one print copy will remain the property of UC, and that it can be made available if the electronic version doesn't suffice. With the shared print archive, we are able to continue our budget reduction strategy of discontinuing local print subscriptions knowing that electronic access and shared print access are secure. Library fund managers have the discretion to make exceptions to the e-only policy and purchase a local print subscription when local need is warranted. However, for every journal subscription duplicated locally, your library liaison must make a difficult decision of what else to cut in its place.
To discuss a specific Blackwell or Springer title, please feel free to contact your library liaison.
For lists of print subscriptions which have been cancelled see Blackwell and Springer.
Canceling print and relying upon electronic versions and the shared print archive will only help alleviate the annual inflation challenge for the short term. Aside from annual increases to the collections budget to match serial inflation, the only long term solution is a dramatic shift in the publishing model. For further information about the crisis in scholarly publishing and what faculty can do to help please see, Scholarly Publishing, Crisis, and Revolution.
